I like to swim with fins some days, I have the zoomers and some regular fins. I notice when I swim finless that I feel slow as a snail.If I have been using the fins for a couple of days. I know some swimmers that only use fins as thats the only way they have been able to learn, to them I say great what ever works for exercise but have noted to them that they should at least be able to swim finless to get out of the pool for safety if they fell into water anywhere.
Former Member
My first priorities are to improve my conditioning -- while having fun. With the fins on, I tend to get more whole-body conditioning rather than my usual tendency to just use my upper body. That trashes my arms/shoulders before the rest of me gets tired.
And fins are fun!
If fin yardage shouldn't count toward your total then I think any yardage swum slower than a 1:10 pace per 100 shouldn't count either. I mean, at that speed you're obviously just puttering along and not really accomplishing anything. Sheesh.
I swim most of my distance free with fins because 1) as primarily a breaststroker I want to put extra strain on my legs,and 2) I have twitchy shoulders and it takes a little strain off them.GTD isn't a competition,at least not for me,it is just a way to tally my yardage.If you think I shouldn't count my yardage with fins for GTD,frankly I pity you.Also,are you saying Fort shouldn't count her MF 25 shooters,those are probably much harder sets than what most people do.
When I swim 800 yards of butterfly in a workout instead of free, I don't count that as extra, so why not count some yards with fins?
Swimming with fins makes me swim faster/with less energy.
It should really make you swim faster with the same energy or you are just backing off. Try swimming a set of all out 100's with fins. You really should get tired, no?
It is interesting that this topic came up as I resigned myself to using fins this week for Monday's distance free workout. I get incredibly bored swimming distance free sets and find that I just can't do it without burning out my arms. With fins, I can get the sets done and still have the energy to get out of the pool. Plus it really helps with pacing. I use the regular long fins, but I am debating whether I should invest in some zoomers. I've never used zoomers, so I'm not too sure what they do in comparison to regular fins.
It does those things, but it also is good as a conditioning tool. I remember reading an interview with David Berkhoff where he talked about training with fins as a way to increase kick-specific strength. And he was not half bad at that kicking thing.
Water doesn't provide much resistance, but there are a number of devices that can increase the stress on muscles and so help develop swim-specific strength. Fins are one of these.
I can also see using fins or zoomers to make sure you engage and integrate your kick more in a given stroke (esp freestyle) instead of just letting them hang there.
Good Points
And what is your justification for not counting yards swam with fins? Do you count yards swam with a paddles? Snorkel? Buoys?
I consider it cheating haha :)
Kick boards, Pull Buoys count, and Snorkels count haha.
The majority of swimming should be without fins. Long fins are great for simulating speed to fine tune your hydrodynamic form at speed. Sometimes I use them in kick sets to burn up the legs, or slow swimming for recovery so I don't drown after a tough set. Plus fins are fun. I put paddles and fins on the other day and went under 15 sec for a 100ft, or a sub 44 yard pace. the way it felt, I just can't believe that there are those that go way under that without fins and paddles!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fins, paddles, pull buoys , special swimming suits to increase weight, etc, are simple swim toys which can be helpful or not depending on the goal set to use it.. We are adults , know when we become addicted to a special toy…. Specially because we are not allowed to use it on competitions; easier to confirm if it is the aid toy that helps us to go faster…:D
Personally, I compare it to the use of clothes, if you dress to hide your body imperfections you are playing tricks with your mind :bitching: I do not use swim toys and I dress really practical (badly to the female point of view):bump::D
This forum has the oddest definition of "cheating."
Here is my philosophy:
I view swimming ultimately as a sport between me and myself. I can therefore make my own personal rules and guidelines. Swimming with fins makes me swim faster/with less energy. I count my yardage as swimming naturally or doing something that makes it harder. Drills, kick boarding, pulling, etc make me work harder to go the same distance.
I'm not saying fins are bad, that they don't have benefits and that I didn't swim x amount of yards w/fins, I just don't count them in my distance for the day. I would only be cheating myself.
It's like saying I biked 40 miles today, but it was all downhill.
That's my method. You can do what you want too.
